Life as We Know It
by coolbeanie
Summary: Another look at the flock's stay at Anne's house: Max is forced to deal with school, pain, and a new life as a teenager. But can the flock's old lives on the run be avoided forever?
1. Intro

This possible new story is about the flocks' stay at Anne's house, in my own version. But it won't be all about their stay at Anne's, more things will happen.

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Six mutant kids with two percent avian DNA in a catholic school…ehh, not something you see everyday. Well, we are not exactly what you see everyday either. I mean, do you recall the last time you saw a genetically mutated kid with wings walking down the street? I think not. The six of us- Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy, Fang, and I- have been on the run for as long as I can remember. We all escaped the dreaded School, a horrible place where evil scientists experiment on innocent children. We've lived most of our lives in constant fear of Erasers, a vicious wolf breed that are out to get us. But surprisingly, we haven't seen anything like that for a while now.

You see, we have been living with a detective named Anne Walker. We met her at a hospital, where Fang was taken after he nearly bled to death because of an Eraser (and because he was too stubborn to tell me he was hurt). Anne is nice and all, but I didn't jump up in excitement when she offered to take us to her house and live with her.

Don't get me wrong, her house is nice. There's a lake and a lot of open space to stretch our wings and go flying. Also, as a bonus for me, I have my own room with a great view. So I guess you could say that life has been pretty good here so far.

Everything seems almost perfect, except for the fact that Anne's making us attend a catholic school. Just the word 'school' sends shivers down my spine. To make things worse, the school requires you to wear itchy uniforms. Also, we are forced to 'socialize' with the kids around us. I'm totally not used to the gossiping girls who are fascinated with boys and clothes. I guess I don't quite fit in since I would much rather wear a pair of loose jeans and a t-shirt any day.

Everyone else seems to be adjusting though. Angel and Nudge have found their own little groups of friends in their class. Though Iggy and Gazzy are constantly getting into trouble with their stink bombs almost every day, they enjoy themselves. Fang, though dark and silent, has already found that he is loved by almost every girl in the place. And me, I'm just the girl that all of the Fang lovers come running to with questions about him.

So that's life right now, boring and simple. But I have a feeling that life will be changing pretty soon.

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Do you like it, or do you hate it? Should I continue? PLEASE REVIEW and tell me!! 


	2. Chapter 1

Sorry for the delay, crazy at school. Blah, well hears the next chapter of this story: )

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#2 pencils- check

Rulers- check

Calculator- check

Pens- check

Books- check

Notebooks and folders- check

I mentally checked off each item as I stuffed my backpack with supplies. The sunshine filled my bedroom with warmth and light, and a nice breeze swept through the open window. A perfect day for flying. But of course, the day would be cut short because of a little thing called school. I rolled my eyes as I swung my bag over my shoulder and stood in front of my dresser to take one last look at myself. I grimaced at the prim and proper uniform that I was now required to wear everyday. It consisted of an itchy navy blue knitted sweater, a plaid skirt with knee high white socks, and a shiny pair of black Mary Janes. I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear and cocked my head to the side. No outfit would be complete without a matching navy blue headband tightly wrapped around my long blonde hair. Adorable right? Wrong.

Taking in a deep breath I headed to the door and entered into the long hallway. I could hear the water running from the bathroom down the hall. Anne always takes a shower while we made the breakfast. It's like a morning routine now, though I don't understand why it takes her so long to get ready for work.

The smell of bacon and eggs filled the air as I reached the stairs. That smell always gets my mouth watering.

"Morning Max," Angel said, beaming at me.

"Hey Ange."

"Hi Max," Nudge said, half asleep on the table.

"Morning Nudge."

I plopped my bag down on the floor and took a seat at the table. Iggy was busy making the scrambled eggs, while Fang was getting out the plates and starting to set them.

"Hey Nudge, don't get your hair in the orange juice, okay?" Fang said quietly.

He looked at me and let a small, yet rare, smile form at the corner of his lips. I smiled back at him and pored myself a glass of milk. Anne doesn't let us have coffee anymore. According to her, it makes us too hyper. Yeah, right.

"Breakfast is ready!" Gazzy yelled loudly so the whole town could hear.

"Gazzy, inside voice please," I said as I ruffled his hair.

"Sorry," He whispered. "Breakfast is ready."

Just as Iggy set down the eggs, everyone dove for the food. We ate in silence until our stomachs were pleasantly full. I have to admit, this was a perk about staying here, an everlasting amount of food.

"Okay, go upstairs and brush those teeth." I said to the kids as I got up to clear the plates.

The kids groaned and trudged up the stairs and into the bathroom. Iggy, Fang, and I stayed behind and washed the dishes. We created our own little system of washing dishes. Iggy handed Fang the plate, Fang rinsed it off, and I placed it in the dishwasher.

"So you guys ready for another day?" I asked the two boys.

Iggy snorted loudly and Fang chuckled under his breath.

"I hear yah." I added with a smile.

"Morning kids!" Anne said cheerfully as she clomped into the kitchen with her high heeled shoes.

"Hi," We all mumbled at the same time.

"Okay, it's eight o'clock. We'll leave in about five minutes. Go get your stuff together." She ordered while she poured herself a rather large cup of coffee.

I rolled my eyes at Fang and walked up stairs to the bathroom. I got out my toothbrush and started to squirt out paste onto the small bristles. As I brushed my teeth I thought about how our lives used to be. When we could do the things that we _wanted_ to do, not what we were told. Though we were constantly on the run, we could fly whenever we felt like it. A little part of me missed that freedom for some reason. I rinsed out my mouth and wiped my face on the towel. Taking in a deep breath, I walked out into the long hallway and headed for the stairs. Just as I was about to reach them, a sharp pain struck my brain like a bolt of lightning. I could stop myself from swaying slightly from the dizziness that was now coming over me. I reached my arm out to touch the wall beside for support but missed by a few feet, tumbling sideways onto the hard wood floor. I clasped a hand to my forehead and pushed myself up to a sitting position. Then just as quickly as it came, it disappeared, leaving me panting on the ground.

Suddenly I felt a strong hand touch my shoulder. I whipped my head around and saw Fang. His eyes were full of concern, which was a rather odd look for him.

"You okay?" He asked in a "don't-you-dare-lie-to-me" tone.

"I'm okay now," I answer truthfully.

"What happened?"

"I slipped." I looked at him innocently and gave a small smile.

He raised an eyebrow. "Max, I was watching you. You didn't slip."

"I know. I just got a little dizzy. I'm fine now." I answered, looking away to avoid his probing eyes.

"Kids, we're leaving!" We heard Anne yell from downstairs.

Fang stood up and offered me a hand, which I gratefully took.

"I know you're lying." He said with a raised eyebrow and started walking away.

"I am not." I called after him.

I tried to brush off the lasting affects of the unusual pain that still in my head. I haven't experienced that in a while, which was weird since I used to get them weekly. This is not going to be a good day, I know it.

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Okay, there it is. Hmmm...interesting... REVIEW PLEASE! I would really like some feedback on this one! Thank you!


	3. Chapter 2

Yay! This site wouldn't let me open up the document and add the chapter for a while. I was very frustrated! I saw the MR3 cover too, like I'm sure many of you have. SOOO cool! I'm so excited about it! Yessss! Please come faster May 2007!

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We all piled into the car with our backpacks and lunches. Angel bounced up and down happily in her seat. She seems to love school for some strange reason. I guess it's because of the large group of friends she has made in the past few months of staying here.

Gazzy was sitting next to her on the window side. He was fiddling with some object in his backpack with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. I had a feeling that it was a stink bomb again. He has set one off in the school hallways at least once a week so far. Yet, he doesn't seem to get caught too many times. There are the occasional visits to the principal's office now and then, but I know Gazzy tries to avoid them as much as possible. He doesn't exactly love Mr. Pruitt, and Mr. Pruitt is definitely not in love with us.

Nudge was sitting on the other side of Angel, still half asleep. She leaned against the arm rest with her head resting on her hand. Her eyes would close for a few seconds until we hit a bump on the road. Then her eyes would shoot open as if she was never asleep. It was actually quite amusing to watch her nod off every now and then.

Fang, Iggy and I sat in the way back. Iggy was leaning his head back against the headrest on the seat. His eyes were closed, but I could tell that he was fighting with all of his strength to stay awake. Fang was sitting beside me quietly. He blankly stared out the window like everyday, but today his eyes didn't seem to be concentrating on the scenery. Something was clearly on his mind; and by the look in his eyes, it was serious.

"Here we are!" Anne exclaimed. Her cheerful moods do not rub off on me well.

Everyone unloaded the car and stood on the side walk.

"Have a great day kids. I'll see you at home." Anne waved and blew a kiss to us as she drove away.

I glanced at Fang and rolled my eyes at him. His face lit up for a second, but then went right back to being dark. I took Angel's hand and stepped forward.

"Here we go." I said with a long sigh.

The six of us walked side by side as we entered the cluttered halls of the school. Angel's classroom was the first stop. I led her to the door and stopped to give her a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Bye Max. Love you!" Angel yelled to us over her shoulder as she skipped inside to greet her little friends. They all then ran away and out of sight.

I turned around to see Nudge standing next to a girl with curly brown hair and freckles.

"Max, can I go?" She asked anxiously.

"Sure, have a good day." I said to her. She giggled and walked off with her friend.

"Bye guys!" Gazzy yelled. He ran off with his friend Mike before I could say anything.

This left only the three of us, which is usually what happens. We walked down a different branch of hallways until we reached Iggy's locker. Once we got there, the school was pretty much filled with groups of teenagers. The groups were mostly clubs, like the drama club or the track team for example. I think the three of us winged kids should start the club, 'Winged Mutants Club'. It may not be the coolest, but at least it would fit us.

"Max, can you get me my Science book?" Iggy asked me.

I snapped out of my daydream and quickly rummaged through his messy locker.

"Here," I said as I handed it to him. My attention then turned to Fang, who was still looking as if he was lost in thought.

"Earth to Fang," I whispered as I waved my hand in front of his face teasingly. "Anyone there?"

He looked at me with his eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Are you okay? You look spacey."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" He shrugged his shoulders and looked down.

"I was just wondering what was…"

"Hey Nick." Lisa came up from behind Fang and tapped him on the shoulder.

She was wearing her long red hair in a simple pony tail, except today she managed to curl every strand that hung from the elastic band holding it together. Her face looked like a Barbie doll, with her lips covered in pink lip gloss and her eyes matted with eyeliner and mascara. Let's just say that if you compared me to her, it would be like comparing a beautiful rose to a plain old weed. I'm the weed and she's the rose, simple as that.

"How are you?" The Red-Haired-Wonder asked sweetly and batted her long eyelashes.

"Fine," Fang mumbled without looking up at her.

Ever since the 'Lisa kissing Fang' incident, I've lost a whole lot of respect for that prissy carrot top. She seemed nice at first, but when she kissed Fang in the library, it made me want to tear her eyes out every time I even heard her name. Fang doesn't even seem to like her all that much, but he doesn't stop her from being all over him. I think me hating her guts is just me being an overprotective sister. Fang is my brother, and nothing else. Life is so complicated sometimes; especially a fifteen year old girl's life.

"Walk me to my class?" Lisa asked him, smiling cutely and flipping her pony tail behind her.

I rolled my eyes inwardly and sighed. This girl just doesn't stop.

Fang shrugged and brushed away the hair from his eyes. Lisa giggled like a four year old who just got a pony for their birthday.

"Um, well, see you later Fang." I smiled, trying to resist the urge to wring Lisa's neck right there.

Lisa waved back at me and grabbed Fang's arm. He looked at me apologetically and mouthed "study hall". I nodded and smiled to myself. I couldn't help but watch the backs of their heads until they were lost in the crowd.

"You know, you shouldn't act to obvious." Iggy said as he closed his locker.

"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything."

Iggy smiled at me widely and shook his head.

"What?" I asked nervously.

"The two of you are funny." He chuckled.

"Wha-" I began to say, but Iggy already started walking away.

"Nothing, nothing. See you at lunch!" He yelled back at me, leaving me there standing at his locker.

I rolled my eyes and started weaving my way threw the halls to my first period class. The day has officially begun, ew.

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Maybe too short, but it's hard to fit it all in one chapter without going crazy, haha. Tell me what you think! REVIEW PLEASE! 

And my other story 'Break' will hopefully have another chapter up soon. I've been suffering from writer's block. ugh. Well, I crucially need to do some homework now. I hate school, I can't wait until winter break!!!! Talk to you later!


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, sorry I haven't update in forever! I hope you all had a great holiday! So here goes another installment...**

The first four periods of the day were painful. Each teacher just sat at their desks and lectured us about something or other. The only thing that kept me from dying of boredom was doodling in my notebook, but forty-five minutes worth of doodling gets pretty old after a while. Fifth period was math, the most boring class of them all. Thankfully I was able to snag a seat near the window, even though looking outside always leaves me itching to get out and fly. It took a lot of self control to not break out of school during one of the teacher's lessons on linear equations. But for the protection of my flock, I wouldn't want to find myself on the cover of 'The National Enquirer' along with Bigfoot and spaceships.

The period dragged on for what seemed like forever. But once that bell rang I was out the door, weaving my way through the hoards of people. Study hall was next, and that meant I would be able to relax in a peaceful and quiet library with Fang. Though I hate school, I must say that they do have a pretty nice library. Every book is neatly placed into its assigned section and there are comfy tables and chairs scattered throughout the open space. Something that also impresses me is that they have a whole row of computers all lined up against the side wall. This was something that excited Fang and I more than anything.

As I walked through the entrance to the library, the smell of old books filled my lungs. For some reason this brought my thoughts back to Jeb. His office always used to smell like musty books. I used to always try to sneak in and look through all of them. Suddenly a prickly sensation on the back of my neck ripped me from my old memories.

"Hey." A voice said from beside me.

I gasped and whipped around to see Fang looking at me with one eyebrow raised.

"Oh," I let out a breath that I was subconsciously holding. "Stop doing that."

"Someone's a little jumpy." He said with a smirk as he sat down at the table across from me.

"No, I was just thinking."

"About…?"

"Nothing much." I shrugged.

He stared at me for a moment longer like he was searching though my eyes. Eventually he shrugged as well and began to take out his notebook.

"_You_ are actually doing your homework?" I teased.

He shrugged once again and resumed with his work while I just sat there tapping my fingers on the table lightly. Mr. Moody has been quite out of it lately. He wasn't acting like himself that much anymore. I mean, sure he always the impassive and mysterious Fang, but lately he's changed. To anyone else, I would sound ridiculous right now; but to me Fang is complex. Sometimes I will get those rare million dollar smiles when no one else was looking, and other times I will get to see the comforting and sincere side of him. But none of those things have passed through the wall that he surrounds himself with for a while. Though I hate admitting it, I sort of miss those little happy moments of his.

"How's your head?" He asked without looking up from his notebook.

I shook my head to clear my mind and get back to reality. "Fine, no big deal."

Fang then looked up at me slightly annoyed. "Max, it was a big deal."

"No it wasn't."

"You collapsed in your room. I saw it."

"Yeah, but it was just a headache." I said innocently. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms with a look saying 'you can't fool me so don't try'.

"And when was the last time you had one of those?" He raised an eyebrow and studied my face for an answer.

I glanced to the side and sighed quietly. He was right; I haven't had a brain attack in a while. Ever since we started staying at Anne's, it's like we are normal kids. The Erasers stopped attacking us, the brain attacks faded away, and even the Voice disappeared. So I guess I didn't really have an answer for that one.

"Yeah, I thought so." Fang said with a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Shut up." I glared at him teasingly.

We sat there in a peaceful silence for a while until I happened to see a flash of red in the corner of my eye.

"Hey guys!" It was the Red-Haired-Wonder herself. I marveled at her new appearance. Her hair was now down in perfect waves framing her face, and it was evident that she had applied a light blue color eye shadow on top of her perfect little eyelids. She also smelled like freshly picked flowers from a garden. I wanted so badly just to sneeze all over her.

She smiled at me and then turned her attention to Fang. "So Nick, did you hear about the school social coming up?" She asked as she batted her eyelashes.

Fang shook his head and glanced at me. "What is that?" I asked her with a fake warm smile.

"Oh, it's like a dance. You have to sort of get dressed up for it. Plus it's only for our grade, which makes it even better." She answered as if I wasn't even there.

I knew this school sucked, but a dace? Ew. The sight of me in a dress would be horrifying…times a thousand. Plus, I happened to have wings on my back. So this dance was a major 'no' for me.

"Students are sort of required to go. So Nick, I was sort of hoping that you might want to go with me?" She asked while biting her lip.

I could help my eyes from bulging out of their sockets. This was too much. First I find out there is a dance, then students are required to go, and now this 'thing' wants to ask Fang if he will go with her? I shot Fang a serious glare clearly stating "you better not agree with this". But being Fang, he chose to ignore my death glare and shrugged his shoulders. Lisa smiled happily and giggled like a five year old.

"Okay, great! The dance is tomorrow at seven in the gym. I'll talk to you online tonight with details!" Lisa said before flipping her hair and walking away, although it was more like swaying her hips from side to side while she wobbled away

I stared at Fang in complete shock.

"What?" He asked me as if he did nothing wrong.

"What do you mean 'what'? You just agreed with going to a school dance! Are you crazy?" I said, trying my hardest not to scream at him.

"What's the big deal? It's just a stupid dance." He shrugged. By now, I was ready to blow. I could feel my face get hot and my fists clench below the table. How could he be so stupid? Just as I was about to open my mouth to answer, the loud shrill of the bell echoed throughout the room.

"We'll talk later. I got to get to class. See you at Ig- I mean Jeff's locker." I said quietly as I pulled on my backpack.

I left the library with a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. Fang was confusing me more and more everyday, and I don't know if it's because something is wrong with him or if it's just me. I tried to brush it off as I entered my next class and took my seat next to the window. I would give more than anything to fly away right now.

**Okay, so there is a school dance. This dance however is going to be a little different. You'll see. I'll try to update soon. In the mean time... PLEASE REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 4

**(a/n) Alrighty, here is another chapter for you. Hopefully I can update Break soon. I'm sorry, but I have been suffering MAJOR writer's block on everything. Personally, I blame it on my American Studies class where I have to do BUTTLOADS of homework for. So sorry. Okay, my rant is over…here goes the next chapter!**

Finally, the day was over. Once the final bell rang, the students hurried out of the classroom and were swallowed by the crowded hallways. I made sure to take my time with packing up my book bag and walking out. I didn't really want to go to Iggy's locker for some reason. Honestly, I just didn't want to face Fang again. This whole dance thing was annoying me. Plus the fact that Fang actually agreed to go with Lisa was making me even more worked up. However I would never admit this to Fang. He would probably just laugh at me or roll his eyes like usual, and admitting my feelings to him would only make me feel like a little prissy girl.

As I slowly approached Iggy's locker, I happened to lock eyes with Fang. I quickly looked away and groaned inwardly. This was going to be rough.

"Hey Max, what's up?" Iggy greeted me happily.

I sighed. "Nothing much, how was your day?"

"Pretty good, just another day."

Suddenly a wide smile swept across his face. "Hey, did you guys hear about that dance tomorrow night?"

I grimaced slightly and looked down. "Yep, I heard."

"Are you going? I think it might me fun," He said as he slammed his locker shut.

"I don't know, maybe." I shrugged and looked up at Fang with a smirk.

"Fnick's going, and he's got a date already."

Fang glared at me and shifted his weight onto his other foot with a weird look on his face. Though I was acting a bit mean about this whole thing, I was still angry with him for being a moron.

"Well alright Fnick! You didn't waste any time now did you?" Iggy said while punching Fang in the arm.

Fang glanced to the side and shuffled his feet. "I was sort of asked out," He said quietly.

"Oh, well that's still cool!"

I found myself glaring at my feet. Why was Iggy supporting this whole thing?

"Max, don't worry. You'll be asked to it by the end of tomorrow for sure." Iggy said positively while patting my back.

I felt my cheeks grow hot. I never thought about me getting asked out, even though I would probably decline. But I guess there is a possibility of me going.

"Yeah well, who knows? I might not even go." I said as we started walking down the hallway towards Nudge's classroom.

"Why the heck not?"

"Well Ig, you have to get dressed up for this dance thing. Personally, I don't think me showing up in a dress will be very attractive." I then leaned into him and lowered my voice to a whisper, "And showing up in a dress with wings on my back may be a problem as well."

"That's true I guess. But still, you should consider going." Iggy whispered back.

I pointlessly rolled my eyes at him as the rest of the kids ran towards us.

"Hey guys, how was your day?" I said quickly in order to change the subject.

We exited the school and began our journey home along the sidewalk. Though the house was only a few blocks away, it gets a little tiring having to listen to Nudge explain her day in explicit detail. Usually I'm able to talk to her happily, but today I just tried to tune her out. Once the house came into view, the kids immediately started sprinting for the kitchen. They always enjoy an afternoon snack after school. Anne doesn't come in until around five o'clock, and that leaves me to take over my familiar role as the leader of the flock.

"Okay guys, get your snack and then go do your homework." I ordered.

"But Max, I don't have a lot. Can't I just go to the pond for a little while?" Gazzy whined.

"I know Gazz, but once you finish your homework you can spend as much time as you want swimming, okay?"

Gazzy nodded unhappily and grabbed an apple from the basket. With a few groans and objections, I was finally able to persuade them into going to their rooms and getting their work done. This left Iggy, Fang and I alone down stairs.

"Well, I'm going up to do mine. School sucks," Iggy said as he trudged up the stairs.

Fang and I just stood there in the kitchen in an awkward silence. I finally sighed and pull on my backpack.

"Well, I'm going up too. I'll, um, see you after." I said to Fang quietly.

I hated the tension between Fang and me. There always seems to be an awkward feeling between us when we're alone together, and I'm never able to break it.

I entered my room and closed the door behind me. It was nice having the privacy of my own room. It's a place where I could unwind after a long day, which was pretty much everyday. I threw my bag on the floor and pulled out a blue t-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts from my dresser. I needed to get out of this stupid uniform already. I changed and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I then picked up my bag and dumped all of its contents onto my bed. Today my teachers went surprisingly easier on the class. All I had for homework were a few math sheets and a one page reflection on the Civil War for history. That wasn't too bad compared to my usual load.

I plopped down onto my bed and pulled my history book onto my lap. I began to flip through the pages when the phone rang. I groaned and got up to answer it. Anne bought me a telephone for the room a few weeks ago, probably just to try to make me like her. Sorry Anne, but I still don't.

"Hello?" I said in a rather annoyed tone.

"Hey Max. It's Sam."

"Oh. Hi Sam," I was surprised that he had called. I had figured it was just Anne checking up on us again.

"I was just calling to see if you knew about this dance tomorrow." He said nervously.

"Yeah, I just found out about it today."

"Well, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me."

I was completely shocked. I couldn't believe I had just gotten asked to the dance.

"Sure, that sounds great." I said without even thinking.

"Okay, cool!" He said happily. "Well, I got to go. My sister just _has_ to use the phone right now, but I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"No problem! Okay, well I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the open and placed it back on the receiver. Did I really just agree to go to a dance with him? What was I even thinking? I had just said all of these things about how stupid the dance was, and here I am going with Sam. Suddenly there was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said, still in complete shock.

Fang walked into the room with his hands in his pockets.

"Who called?" He asked with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Sam," I said as I turned to face him.

"And…?"

"I just got an invitation to the dance," I said with confidence.

Fang raised his eyebrows at me and took a step forward.

"I thought you said you didn't want to go."

"Well, that was before I got a date." I said, feeling a little stupid

"So now you'll go?" He asked.

"Yes, but I guess I have to find a stupid dress first."

"Yeah," he chuckled slightly. "Well, you'll find something."

He then took another step towards me and leaned in so our faces her nearly inches apart from each other.

"And you better not wear anything too gorgeous." He said with a serious look on his face.

"Why is that?" I said, trying to stop myself from blushing.

"Because Sam might try to make a move on you," he said as he turned to walk away. "And I will be force to kick his butt."

He continued to walk away, leaving me just standing in the middle of the room with my mouth hanging open. I tried to shake it off, but this day was just getting too confusing for me.

**Cool! Chapter 5 is done. I'm not too happy with this chap. Please tell me how you feel about it! Thank you guys sooo much for reviewing on the previous chapters. Now I have to go to swim practice, bleh! PLEASE REVIEW! Love ya, bye! **


	6. Chapter 5

**Okay, soooo sorry for the long delay. School sucks like crucially. I DO NOT like homework!!!! Ugh.**

**Here's the next chapter:**

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After Fang had left, I composed myself and went back to finishing my history assignment. However, I still couldn't get over Fang's little overprotective brother act. He was never really like that before, so what was making him act like this now? Suddenly the sound of the garage door opening pulled me from my daze. Anne was home. I glanced at the clock on my nightstand and found that in was actually 5 o'clock. Anne was home late for some reason. The door opened downstairs and the sound of high heeled shoes clomping on the hard wood floor rang through the house.

"Hey kids!" She yelled from the bottom of the stairs. I didn't even make a move to get up from my comfortable position on the bed.

"Sorry I'm late!" She yelled as the clomping of her high heels became louder. Then a rustling sound of a plastic bag appeared, making my ears perk up.

I couldn't image what she was carrying. If it were groceries, she wouldn't be coming up the stairs right now. The rustling sound became louder and I knew that she was on her way to my room. I groaned loudly and closed my history book. The clomping sound stopped and was replaced by a light tap on my door.

"Max honey? Are you in there?" She said sweetly.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Yep, you can come in."

She opened the door smiling from ear to ear with a large plastic bad draped over her forearm. "Hi Max. How was school today?"

"Fine," I grunted as I looked at the bag.

"Good," She smiled and laid the bag down onto the bed. "Well, your school called and informed me that you have a dance tomorrow night."

I sighed once again and rested my head on my hands.

"Yeah, I just found out about it today too."

"The school also told me that it was going to be a formal dance, meaning that you have to dress up." She smiled even wider, if that was even possible.

"Yes."

Her eyes filled with excitement as she began to take out the mysterious item from the bag.

"Well Max, since it is formal, I believe you need a dress to wear. Now I know that you might not like the idea of me buying a dress for you, but I found the prettiest little dress that I believe will look beautiful on you."

I sat there looking at her in disbelief. I was expecting a pointless conversation with her about something stupid. I definitely didn't think that she would take it upon herself to buy me a dress already. I held my breath as she took the dress out slowly and raised it up beside her.

Though I hate to admit this, the dress was actually really pretty. It was made of a black silky material that looked smooth and shiny. The dress had a neckline that was shaped like a 'V' with two straps holding it up. From there, the material bunched up almost like tiny ripples until it reached the waistline. Under the waist, the material flowed gracefully down to just below the knees.

"So how do you like it Max?" Anne asked.

"It's, um, it's really pretty." I couldn't lie, the dress was beautiful.

"Great! I'm so glad you like it! Oh, I also got you a little sweater to go over your shoulders to cover your wings."

She them set the dress down and pulled out a thin aqua colored sweater.

"Wow, thanks." I said quietly, still blown away by the outfit.

"Well, you can try it on now if you'd like. I'm going to go and give Fang and Iggy their outfits. Iggy started dinner already, so hopefully it will be done in about a half an hour." Anne said.

I looked up at her and gave a small grin. "Okay, thank you."

She smiled back warmly and walked out of the room. Once I heard her walk away I jumped up and ran to lock my door. For some reason, I really couldn't wait to try on my dress. Once the door lock clicked, I ran over to the dress and held it up against me. It seemed like a perfect fit, so I quickly stripped off my clothes and carefully stepped into the soft material. It slid on easily over my hips and waist. I gently situated my wings so they were laying over the dress comfortably and I pulled on the straps. Next was the sweater, which fit just right and succeeded in covering my wings.

I took in a deep breath and walked to the mirror to see myself. It didn't look too horrible on me. Actually, it was really pretty.

So this was actually happening. I, Maximum Ride, am going to a school dance tomorrow. That's just weird.

o

o

o

**Okay, SUCH A SHORT CHAPTER! I'm sorry. But next one is the dance and I think it's going to be really long, or split into two parts. I haven't decided yet. But it will be the dance! Yesss, I can't wait to write it.**

**And as for Break, I'm currently working on the next chapter. I am such an inconsistent writer. Bad me! It's been like, two flippin months since its last update! Ugh! So my writer's block is almost gone. I just have to fix all of the little kinks in the plot. There might also be some editing going on in the previous chapters. I'll let you know. **

**Okay so PLEASE REVIEW! I hope you like it and I'm going to write more soon. I'm sorry this chapter is so boring, but the dance will be long and some 'things' will happen. Okay, I'll shut up now. **

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 6

_Enjoy…_

School the next day went along as usual. Only this time everyone gossiped over the dance. J.J almost screamed when I told her about Sam asking me. It was a bit funny how so many people were taking this thing so seriously.

We arrived at the house at our regular time, and since it was Friday, I let the kids do whatever they wanted. Everyone ran in different directions, leaving me standing in the kitchen all alone. I decided to go up to my room and change into my worn in jeans and a t-shirt. My mind was cluttered with thoughts about that night. I was a bit excited for it, but I didn't want to go through the whole 'getting ready' part. I looked in the mirror and ran my fingers through my long dirty blonde hair. Picking up a brush from the dresser, I attempted to part my hair off to the side and pull my hair up in a ponytail of some sorts. By now, I looked like a deranged monkey with frizzy hair. I sighed in frustration and threw the brush off to the side. This was hopeless.

I lay down on my bed and sank my head into the pillow. It was only about three o'clock, so I figured that I could squeeze in a little cat-nap. Before I knew it, my eyes were closed and I was drifting off to sleep.

oOo

"Max. Wake up." I heard someone whisper beside me. I opened my eyes to see Anne smiling at me warmly.

"It's six o'clock honey. Dinner is ready," She said sweetly and walked out of my room.

I slowly got up into a sitting position and rubbed my eyes. I had exactly two hours until the dance started. Sam and I had agreed to meet at the front of the school at eight. So thankfully, that gave me enough time to get prepared. I stood up and stretched my arms and my wings. The smell of spaghetti filled my nose almost instantly, practically making my mouth water. I quickly walked out of my room and down the stairs.

"Good morning sunshine, did you have a nice nap?" Gazzy said while he set the plates on the table.

"Yes actually, I did thank you very much." I laughed and ruffled his light blonde hair.

"Now that the sleepy head is up, dinner is ready." Iggy said as he brought a large bowl of spaghetti to the table.

We all sat down and immediately dug in.

"So, are you guys excited about this dance thingy tonight?" Gazzy said with a mouth full of noodles.

"Oh my gosh Max! Can I help you do your make-up and hair? I think you would look amazing with curly hair! What do you think Angel?" Nudge exclaimed before I could even open my mouth to answer Gazzy.

"I think Max would look good with anything! Can I help too? Please?" Angel said while giving me her infamous bambi eyes.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "I guess. You two would probably be useful because I have no idea what to do with this hair."

They squealed and went on eating, quietly discussing their plans for me. I glanced over at Fang who was silently studying his plate. I sighed and shook my head.

The rest of the dinner went along uneventfully. After helping Iggy clean the dishes, I went up to my room and pulled out my dress from the closet. I had close to one and a half hours left to get ready. I laid the dress onto my bed and looked at it for a moment. I started feeling anxious. This dance thing was really getting to me, and not in a good way. I tore my eyes away from the dress and walked toward the bathroom, grabbing my brush along the way. Once I made it to the mirror, I looked at myself and turned my head to the side. My dirty blonde hair fell to my mid back in waves, which didn't look as bad as I thought it would. I tried pulling the top half of my hair into a short pony tail and held it there. I wrinkled my nose and shook my hair down. This part of the dance was going to be the hard part. I heard a soft knock on my door and Anne's voice calling my name. I reached over and opened it to see Anne standing there with a small bag filled with various types of lipsticks and eyes shadows.

"Hey Max, I thought you could use some help." She said sweetly.

I nodded my head and smiled at her.

oOo

The finished product of Anne's semi-makeover was not all that bad. Nudge and Angel had come in and helped like I had promised them. I sat on a chair biting my lip while they painted my face and pulled my hair.

When they had finished they all stood back and admired their work. Nudge and Angel started giggling non-stop while Anne stood there beaming at me.

"Max you look _so_ pretty," Angel said.

I smiled at her and turned to Anne.

"Can I see?" I asked nervously.

Anne nodded quickly and handed me a mirror. I shut my eyes and positioned the mirror in front of my face. With a deep breath, I opened them slowly and looked at the girl staring back at me. At first, I couldn't believe it was me. My usually messy hair fell passed my shoulders in soft blonde waves. My cheeks were lightly covered with blush and my eye lashes were coated with mascara. It was like a complete transformation into a new Max; a prettier, more girly one at least. I laid the mirror down onto my lap and looked back up at the three smiling faces.

"Oh Max. You have to put your dress on now. You are going to look like a movie star. Everyone is going to be so surprised to see you. Especially…"

"Thanks Nudge," I said. I knew where her ramble would lead to, and I didn't feel like getting embarrassed right then. "And thanks for doing this for me guys."

"No problem Max. You look so beautiful!" Angel squealed.

"It was my pleasure." Anne said. "Okay girls. Let's leave Max to change into her dress."

"Okay!" Nudge and Angel said in unison and skipped happily out of the bathroom. Anne winked and followed the girls out.

I sighed loudly and took my dress off of its hanger. Slowly I pulled the silky fabric up my legs and over my arms. After situating my wings, I put on my sweater and smoothed it out. Despite the winged factor, I guess I look relatively close to the definition of the word 'pretty'.

Looking in at my reflection, I parted my hair to the side making it look layered. I stood in front of the mirror for a whole ten minutes, just looking at myself, examining every detail. A knock at the door forced me to look away from the 'new Max' that was standing before me.

"Come in," I said.

Slowly the door opened to reveal a tall dark figure. He took a step forward, making the light from the bathroom define his face. I felt my eyes widen as I looked at a totally changed Fang standing before me. His dark tux complimented his eyes and his hair, which both seemed to glimmer under the light of the bathroom. His hair that was usually messy was looking cleaner and shinier. His bangs dropped over his forehead, slightly shading his eyes.

He shook his hair out of his face and looked back at me with his eye brows raised. He cleared his throat and nervously shifted his gaze to the ground.

"Um, you ready to go?" He said.

"Yep," I answered.

We both walked down the hallway in silence. I felt him glance at me quickly and then turn away. He seemed a lot more fidgety, stuffing his hands in his pockets and clearing his throat

"Well," He scratched his neck. "You look…different."

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Thanks?"

"No, I mean…" He began. Then he smirked, "You look decent I guess."

I smacked him playfully in the arm and walked past him down the stairs.

"You don't look so bad yourself. I mean, you actually look clean."

He chuckled quietly, making me smile to myself. I wanted to at least try to not make this awkward for us. However, I knew we were way past the awkward stage.

"Oh, don't you two look nice." Anne said as soon as we stepped onto the first floor.

"Well, we've got to head out of her if we don't want to be late." I said quickly. I couldn't handle her carrying on about how wonderful it was that we were going to this "lovely event".

"Max! Nick!" Nudge yelled as she skipped down the stairs with Angel at her heels.

"Woah F-_Nick_! You look like one of those models you see in magazines. Like, your hair is actually clean and you could almost see your face!" She paused and then turned to me. "And Max, you look like a model too! Someone should get a picture! Where's the camera? This is the first and last time you're going to see them like this!"

"Nudge, no…" I began to say when Iggy walked in.

"You sure clean up nicely _James_," I said with a wide smile.

Iggy smirked and stood next to Fang. "So, are we going to get this over with?" He said.

"Alright, are we ready to go?" Anne asked enthusiastically.

I nodded and quickly walked out the door. "Bye guys! Be good!" I yelled over my shoulder.

Fang, Iggy and I piled into Anne's car and waited for her to start the engine. I was suddenly feeling very anxious. My leg wouldn't stop shaking and my hands were sweating like crazy.

Iggy leaned over and patted my knee. "Max, calm down will you? It's going to be fine."

"I know _James_. I'm just a little freaked out by this thing." I whispered into his ear.

"You're fine. Besides, you have one dashing looking fellow sitting beside you. No one will even notice you while you're standing next to me." He said with a smile.

"Shut up," I said as I nudged him in the ribs.

About five minutes later, Anne was pulling up to the brightly lit school.

"Okay kids, have a wonderful time! Call if you need anything!"

"Okay," I mumbled while I jumped out.

My anxiety kicked up a notch when I saw Sam waiting at the door for me. I turned away from him and watched Anne drive away.

"There's no turning back now," I heard Fang whisper behind me.

I turned to him and shot him a glare. He just smirked and started walking towards the entrance with Iggy. Taking in a deep breath, I let it out and walked behind them.

"Hey Max!" Sam called out as he waved his arm.

Fang turned around and looked at me darkly before he entered the building. _What's his problem?_

"Hi Sam," I said happily.

I have to admit, he looked very cute in his black sports jacket and dark pants. His hair was sticking up in a messy manner, but that only seemed to add to his good looks.

He smiled widely as he held out his arm for me to take. I smiled back and looped my arm around his.

"You look really pretty tonight," He leaned in and whispered.

"Thanks. You too," I whispered back.

He laughed quietly and pushed open the doors. The school was bright and much more cheerful than it was during the day. Streamers and balloons were placed sporadically throughout the hallway, each one a shade of the rainbow. It did seem a bit cheesy to me, but what did I know about school dances? Maybe it's supposed to be cheesy.

"Come on, you have to see inside the gym." Sam said enthusiastically.

He pulled me through the double doors and into a sea of people. The gym was dark and packed with teenagers dancing. The music was almost deafening to the ears, especially when you have genetically enhanced eardrums.

"Let's dance, this is my favorite song!" Same yelled over the music.

I smiled weakly and let him take me onto the dance floor. Some type of rap music was blaring over the speakers, and kids were dancing like crazy. Some were couples grinding against each other, and some were girls dancing in a circle with friends. Sam stopped in a little gap and started dancing automatically. I looked around at this awkward sight. I then came to the conclusion that Maximum Ride does not dance. I wouldn't be caught dead dancing like the others were. They looked like a bunch of animals.

Sam looked like he was having a good time, and I didn't want to ruin his night by just standing there like an idiot in the middle of a big crowd. So I started swaying back and forth slowly to the music. _Oh God, this is so horrible._

The song began to change into another upbeat rap song. I didn't know how much more I could take of this. I suddenly started to not feel well.

The music was so loud it made my head spin. Sam put his hand on my hip, but I could barely feel it. I kept looking around, trying to find a way to escape. It felt like I was suffocating.

"Max, you okay?" Sam said. I jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Oh, yeah, I guess I'm just getting a little tired." I said with a forced smile.

"Do you want to get something to drink?"

I nodded happily and started walking away from the crowded dance floor. Sam reached out to touch my hand, bit I quickly pulled it away. Thankfully he didn't seem to notice.

"I'll be right back," He said.

I nodded again and swallowed. I felt like I was going to puke all over him. Once he was out of sight, I pushed back my hair and looked around again. I saw Iggy dancing with some girl from his English class. He was smiling widely, but I could see that he was concentrating hard on his surroundings. I scanned the area for Fang and his redheaded date. He didn't seem to be on the dance floor. My heart started to race. _Where is Fang?_

"Hey," Sam said from behind me. "Here's your drink. They only have Fruit Punch."

I smiled at him nicely and gulped down the red fruity liquid. Sam's hand reached for my arm again, causing me to jump.

"Hey, you okay? Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No, no. Everything's fine," I lied. "Um, I just have to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

I booked out of the gym as fast as I could before Sam could even reply. I needed to get _out_. I felt like I was on fire, and I could already feel beads of sweat gathering on my forehead. _Calm down Max_.

I pushed past the couples who were lingering around the entrance to the gym. Suddenly a dark figure caught my eye. The boy was standing in a corner with a red headed girl. _Fang._

Right then I decided that I needed Fang. Something was happening to me and I needed him to be there. Pushing past another couple, I made my way closer to Fang. I was within seven feet of them when I saw Lisa slowly lean in towards Fang. _She was going to kiss him!_ The dizziness in my mind intensified more rapidly, and I knew I was going to be sick. I stood there watching Fang's eyes widen as Lisa's lips became inches away from his. I couldn't watch this happen. I turned to the right and tried to make my way out, but the gym was packed. Hormonal teenagers were everywhere, kissing and groping each other. I was trying to get passed some perverted guy making 'kissy' faces at me when I glanced back at Lisa and Fang. Lisa was now holding Fang's hand, beckoning for him to join her on the dance floor. Fang glanced to the side uncomfortably, causing him to look in my direction. His face quickly changed to a worried expression as our eyes connected.

I broke eye contact and ran out into the hallway and away from the gym. I kept running until I was alone in some side hallway of the school. I put my hand to my head as my vision became blurred. _What is going on?_

I felt myself sway to the side uncontrollably until my shoulder hit the wall. Sharp pains shot through my head like lightning bolts. I held a shriek in the back of my throat. I hadn't had this pain since the Voice first broke into my brain. _The Voice! Was the Voice trying to torture me again?_

"Max!" A deep voice said from behind me.

I heard footsteps running down the hallway, but I was unable to turn around. If I did, my legs would probably fall out from under me.

"Max," Fang said breathlessly.

"What?" I snapped.

Fang came around to face me with a shocked expression on his face. "What? You're asking me 'what?'"

"Yes," I said sharply. The pain in my head was getting worse by the second, and I didn't need the love stricken Fang to ask me questions.

"Okay, I just ran here from across the school to find you. Tell me what's going on." He demanded.

"Look, I'm fine." I lied. "Now why don't you go back to making out with your little girlfriend and leave me alone!"

I winced at my own harshness. Fang's eyes looked at me sadly as he started to walk away. I wanted to tell him to come back and help me, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Another sharp pain hit my head, making me yelp in surprise.

"Max?" Fang walked back in front of me and took in my pained expression. "Are you hurt?"

I couldn't lie anymore; he had just heard me scream. I gave in and nodded slowly, not wanting to cause myself anymore dizziness. However, that didn't work. I started leaning in towards Fang. His arms shot out to catch me around my waist.

"Max, when did this start?" He asked.

"A little while ago," I answered weakly.

By now, my body was practically crumbling into Fang's outstretched arms.

"Does it feel like another brain attack?" He asked cautiously.

"No. Worse."

I yelped again as another bolt of lightning struck my head. Except this time, it didn't stop. The pain was blinding, one hundred and six times greater than an average migraine. My arms flew to my head as I moaned loudly. Pictures were swirling through my mind quicker than the speed of light. The color white and red flashed in my eyes with each image. I could here myself groan far off in the distance along with Fang's concerned voice.

As soon as the pain started, it stopped leaving me panting heavily. I could feel that I was now sitting on the floor wrapped in Fang's arms. I let go of my head slowly and sat up.

"What was that?" Fang's face was filled with a cross between concern and fear.

"I don't know. It felt like a brain att.."

_**Hello Max. It's time.**_

I gasped and grabbed Fang's arm. "The Voice! It's back! It's…"

Suddenly without me knowing everything turned black. I heard Fang yell my name before I was swept into the darkness.

oOo

_Hey guys, I'm so sorry that I haven't update in practically forever and a day! I was diagnosed with nerve damage since that last time I updated. I had shingles for a while (and no I'm not an old lady). The doctors didn't know what it was since a kid my age doesn't really get shingles…at all. So to make a long story short, it's been hard to be able to update for a while. My mind was focused on other things. But I do get chances to read the other fanfics and they are all really good! _

_So here you are with another update. Once again, I'm so sorry for the really long delay. I'll try my hardest to update again soon. And expect an update on my other story "Break" soon too. Thankfully I was able to get them typed up. I've been thinking about them __**forever**__!! Also, sorry if this chapter is sort of weird. I couldn't seem to find a way to write it the way I wanted. So tell me what you think! Feed back!!_

_Thank you all so much and __**please review**__! Love yah!_


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